City holds protest for Black Lives Matter
Two arrests made as police praise Glasgow Green demonstration for staying peaceful
TWO people were arrested at yesterday’s Black Lives Matter protest at Glasgow Green.
More than a thousand people gathered in support of the movement demanding justice and racial equality in Scotland.
The protest was peaceful and for the most part passed without any disturbance.
Police chiefs expressed disappointment that a large number of people “chose to ignore” Scottish Government advice to avoid mass gatherings.
However, the protesters were thanked by the force for adhering to social distancing measures and for keeping the demonstration peaceful.
Assistant Chief Constable Kenny MacDonald said: “Our advice this weekend was, and remains, that people should find alternative methods to protest rather than attending mass gatherings.
“We discouraged attendance at these events across the country to minimise risks to public safety and health.
“I am therefore somewhat disappointed that large numbers of people chose to ignore this advice and attended these events across Scotland.
“However, I would like to thank those who did attend for adhering to the physical distancing measures where possible, and protesting in a peaceful manner.”
No fines were issued to any of the protesters at the event.
Speakers at the event paid respects to George Floyd and Sheku Bayoh – two Black men who died at the hands of police officers.
Organiser Barrington Reeves, 28, from Glasgow’s West End and the owner of Glasgow design agency Too Gallus, told us: “We are trying to amplify BME voices, inviting young people to share their views and experiences.”
Meanwhile, Glasgow’s statue of Robert Peel was vandalised yesterday.
Robert Peel was a British Tory statesman who served twice as Prime Minister for the UK and twice as Home Secretary.
He is regarded as the father of modern British policing as he founded the Metropolitan Police Service.
In Glasgow, a statue of Mr Peel is in George Square.
Vandals scrawled “ACAB” and a communist emblem on the plinth of the statue (below).
“ACAB” is an abbreviation for “All Cops Are
B ****** S”.
The Conservative councillor for the Shettleston ward has condemned the vandalism as “unacceptable”.
Thomas Kerr said: “This kind of vandalism, along with the defacing of Conservative MSP offices, has absolutely no place in Glasgow.
“It’s unfortunate that the well-meaning intentions of some peaceful protesters has been hijacked by a small minority who want to ruin a peaceful movement for their own selfish gain.
“To be clear, the ideology of communism has killed millions worldwide and it’s absolutely disgusting that this graffiti both glorifies it and slurs many thousands of decent police officers who put their lives on the line on our behalf.
“These actions do nothing to address the underlying causes of institutional racism and I hope the perpetrators are identified and face the consequences.”
Two Conservative MSPs also had their offices on Maryhill Road vandalised with graffiti. Vandals wrote “ACAB” on the office shutters of Adam Tomkins and Annie Wells.
“F**k The Tories” was written on the left hand side of the office shutters. Graffiti also appeared in the area with George Floyd’s name written on a building on the other side of the street.
It is unknown if the instances are connected.
SNP Councillor for Maryhill and Springburn John Letford said: “As the local councillor, I can’t condone the graffiti, but passions seem to be running high as we ease out of this lockdown. “What with the Black Lives Matter demo on Glasgow Green, 40,000 UK Covid-19 deaths and a looming sense of economic catastrophe, frustrations seem to be spilling out. “I would ask that Glaswegians continue to follow the advice of health experts, to look out for each
other in our communities and to register their political protests with our usual humour and passion at the ballot box.”
The Duke of Wellington statue had his orange cone replaced with a black one featuring the symbol of the Black Lives Matter movement.
In Edinburgh, protesters including pop superstar Lewis Capaldi gathered in Holyrood Park to listen to an array of speakers, with speeches punctuated by chants of “Black Lives Matter”, “no justice, no peace” and supportive horn honking from passing cars.